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Module 3
Accountability
of the NGO
The
key question being asked while addressing the issues
of NGO accountability and representations are
The
questions at first appear to have simple answers.
An NGO is either controlled by or is accountable
to a Board of Management or trustees or to a Board
elected by the members. Since these people derive
no financial gain from the organisation, and are
independent in the sense that they do not have any
vested interests as the staff or those served by
the NGO may have.
More
broadly, the NGOs are accountable to the wider public
through processes of registration and regulation.
They will be accountable to the fund givers through
agreed reporting arrangements.
But
the fact is that it is not as simple in particular
aspects as the above discussion. As in many cases
the Board plays a very inactive role, and the employed
staff controls the organisation. Thus in some NGOs,
one sees complete lack of accountability on the
part of its members. Private NGOs can also be used
by individuals to pursue their egoistic or political
ambitions under the pretence of representing people
or a certain cause or even be used for fraudulent
purposes.
Since
the existence of a small number of fraudulent NGOs
have brought the financial integrity and honesty
of the great majority of NGOs into needless doubt,
just as the small number of NGOs that are unaccountable
and unrepresentative have attracted unwarranted
doubt and criticism to the majority. It is the need
and duty of each NGO to improve the quality of their
governance and operations and also bring changes
to the external environment in which they work.
As most of the NGOs are controlled by people acting
out of genuine personal concern and commitment,
and operating with high standards of honesty and
integrity it is our duty to maintain the integrity
of the services and the persons providing these
services by developing proper and transparent accountability
procedures.
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